Pile with self-spreading anchors



Aug. 2, 1960 l.. J. BARKLEY, JR

PILE: WITH sELFsPREADING ANcHoRs 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 1l, 1958Fig? Lowe/l J- Bar/r/eg? Jr.

INV

TOR.

Aug. 2g 1960 L. J. BARKLEY, JR 2,947,149

PILE WITH SELF-SPREADING ANCHORS Filed Feb.911, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Fig/0 J6 \\\\\6% 2,947,149 Patented Aug. 2, 196i) PILE- sELF-SPREADnsGANonons Lowell J. Barkley, Jr., Box 127, Matador, Tex.

i FiledFeb. 11, 1958, Ser. No. 714,528

3 Claims. (Cl. I61u53) The present invention relates to certain new anduseful improvements in structural devices which may be broadly referredto as a pile. However, and in the instant disclosure, twoV embodimentsof the over-all concept are revealed and for convenience in distinctiono'ne embodiment has to do with a so-called footing of a selfspreadingtype, while the other embodimentv is differentiated as a self-lockinganchor.

Statedv otherwise the invention in one of its aspectshas to do with anovel `footing characterized by self-spreading arms functioning asstabilizers and anchors. The construction is such that the' cooperatingVcomponents work on a forced principle affording the userl maximum loadbearing properties in any and all types of earth and' equivalentformations and foundations. The improvements are such that theconstruction is possessed of advantages over conventional types offootings in that (1) no preliminary drilling is' necessary to determinepairv of broad-surfaced stabilizing and anchoringarms arrangedondiametr'ically. opposite sides of said member and having upper endshingedly joined to saidmem'ber, and'lower ends no'rmally depending andprojecting below the lower end of the tubular member but terminating ina plane' just short of the apex of said point so that pressurized earthcrowding and wedging itself between the tapering surfaces of the pointand said depending lower ends will force and spread the arms radially,outwardly, and'upwardly to assume an expanded stabilizing and anchoringposition relative to' said member, rretainingv means carried by thetubular member and arms, 'respec tively', and serving to maintain thearms in Ycontracted position alongside the intervening tubular` member,whereby when said means is released at a predetermined time the arms areallowed to spread and assume their desired expanded stabilizing andanchoring positiol'r.lr 'i Novelty is predicated on the utilization ofarms which are provided with lengthwise rigidifying ribs. When the armsare collapsed or folded alongsidel the hublike tubular member the upperends of the ribs are normally at rightV angles to thev member. Theseupper ends serve as abutments which', when they come to rest against thetubular member provides stop and limit the upward swing of the expandingarms.

More specically, novelty `in addition ispredicated on a constructionrevealed wherein the retaining means embodies a keeper pin. This pin isremote controlled by a pull cablefwhich is connected at itslower end tothe upper end "ofthepin: 'I'h'e penetrating point which as beforestatedis removable -is'employed toi p'eritac` 2 cess to behad tothe pin' andto make sure that the pin is locked before the device is driven into theground.

Inlthe aforementioned embodiment identiiied as the self-locking anchor aweighted cup-like slide 'or inner tubular member is mounted in the boreof the outer'tublar member. 'Ihis cooperates with special detents on thehinged ends of the exp'ansible and contractible anchor'- arms andrwhenit' drops down to its intended locking position the armsA are heldsubstantially immoVably" in their outstanding anchoring positions.

Other objects, features and advantages' will become more readilyapparent from the following' description and the accompanying'illustrative drawings. y n

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are' employed toA designate' likeparts throughout the views:

Fig.l 1 is a perspective view showing the aforementioned self-spreadingfooting with the stabilizing and anchoring elements or arms in theirfolded ready-for-use'position.

Fig. 2 is a' view in section and elevation taken on the plane of theline 2--2 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows. v

Fig. 3 is a cross-section' on a smaller scale taken on the horizo'ntalline 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view on the approximate scale of Fig. 2 Y

showing the cooperation and relationship of parts' when the device hasbeen embedded forV anchorage in a founda# tion, the ground, for example.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the construction seen-in Fig. 4 out of theyground and on a smaller scale.

Fig. 6 is a View in elevation similar to Fig.' 1 and' showing themodification to be known as the selflocking anchor.

Fig. 7 is a View on a slightly larger scale and similar to Fig. 2 andtaken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6. l

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on a smaller scaleon the line 8 8' ofFig. 7. Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 4 and showing theV selflockinganchor in use.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view on a smaller scale with'tle anchor removedfrom the ground.

Reference is made first to' the form of the' pile called theself-spreading footing in Figs. l to 5 inclusive. Witli refernce inparticular to Fig. 4 the outer tubular member, a length of tubing ofprerequisite dimensions, is denoted by the numeral 12 and is open at theupper end 14 open at the lower end but internally screw-threadedhere asat 16 to accommodate the screw-threaded end of the plug portion'lS' ofthe penetrating point 20. This` is. a solid conical member which plugsremovably into and closes the lower end of the tubular' member. Justabove the plug portion and the lower screw-threaded end the tubularmember is providedV with circumferentially.spaced equidistant openingsor holes 22 for accommodation and clearance of cooperating lugs 24having keeper holes 26. Each lug is fixed to a median portion ofits-companion anchoringY arm 28. There are four of these arms and theyare circumferentially spaced and each is a atrec tangular plate-likeform and the upper end is hingedly connected at 30'to the intended spoton the tubular member. The hinge point in comparison to the len'gtl ofthe arm isv such'that the lower end portion 32 dei pends or projectskbelow the plug portion 18 but" terminates short of the penetrating apex34 as best shown iiiT the collapsed or folded arrangement seen inFigL 2.On the other exterior or upper side of each arm th'erefisaAlengthwiserig'idifying rib 36. The upper, end of the ribv` 38 isnormally atright angles to the plate and consequently the tubular memberwhen the arm is collapsed or-fol'ded.` This upper end provides anabutment Whiclf in turn functions as a stop as seen in Fig'. vvhen'it'comes to rest against the tubular member; This is" the posi?v and inthis manner locks the four arms 28 in their folded ready-to-descendposition.

In the placement of the footing described one uses the standard piledriver and the standard pile driving procedure with the exception thatit is not necessary to drill a hole in order to drive the footing intothe ground. To

' place the footing, all that is necessary to set the penetrating pointon the desired place and start the driving operation. Obviously, whenthe footing is driven to a predetermined .point of penetration theoperator attaches a tag line to the cable and to rig. YThe lift or pullon the cable 42 withdraws the locking or retaining pin 40 and the lugs24 are thenfree to release the arms 28 for action. By continuing thedriving operation the arms are spread radially out and move outwardlyand upwardly. As the driving operation is continued the arms spreaduntil the shoulders or abutments 38 come into contact with the tubularmember 12 thus retaining the arms in an open or spread position and thusgiving a desired refusal load bearmg.

As before mentioned the penetrating point 20 functions also as a closingplug on the lower end of the tubular member permitting access to be hadto the lugs 24 and keeper pin 40 to assist in setting the pin andinsuring that the arms are properly locked before the driving operationtakes place.

With reference to Figs. l to l inclusive and the selflocking anchor itwill be seen that the principal parts of the same are already shown anddescribed. Briefly, the tubular member 44 has anchoring and stabilizingarms (fou-r) as before described. These arms are here denoted by thenumeral 46 and the upper end is hinged in place at 48. The lugs 50 withtheir keeper holes 52 operate through the clearance holes 54 just abovethe screwed-in closing plug and penetrating point 56. It will be noticedthat at the hinge points vertical slots 58 are provided to accommodatethe projectible and retractable segmental flanges 60. These llangesconstitute detents that operate back and forth through the slots as willbe evident by comparing Figs. 7 and 9 with each other. Theaforementioned weighted cup-like slide or inner tubular member isdenoted at 64 and it is normally held in an elevated position by theretracted detents in the manner seen in Fig. 7. When the arms swing outandup to anchoring positions and the detents 60 are withdrawn from theslots 58 this cup-like member drops down on the stop pins 66 and coversthe slots 58 thus locking the anchoring arms in the spread positionshown. The arched or U-shaped bar 68 (Fig. 9) `has its end portionsriveted in place at 70 and has a central opening upwardly and throughwhich the pull cable 72 operates. The cable also operates through anopening 74 in the bottom of the cup or member 64 where it has the keeperpin 76 attached thereto so that the pin may be operated in the manneralready described and again shown in Fig. 7.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly al1 suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A pile comprising anA elongated tubular member adapted to be driveninto the ground, a conical ground penetrating point removably pluggedinto the leading end of said member and adapted to be forcibly driveninto the ground with the aid of a conventional pile driver, at least onepair of broad-surfaced stabilizing and anchoring arms arranged ondiametrically opposite sides of said member and having upper endshingedly joined to said member, and lower ends normally depending andprojecting below the lower end of the tubular member but terminating ina plane just short of the apex of said point so Y that pressurized earthcrowding and wedging itself between the tapering surfaces of the pointand said depending lower ends will force and spread the arms radially,outwardly, and upwardly to assume an expanded stabilizing and anchoringposition relative to said member, said member being provided just abovethe lower end thereof with a plurality of openings, each arm having alug xed thereon at right angles thereto and projecting into the bore ofthe tubular member by way of one of said openings, the inner projectingend of each lug having a vertical keeper hole, the adjacent endsof saidlugs overlapping one another and the keeper holes being verticallyalined with each other, a keeper pin passing downwardly and releasablythrough said keeper holes, and a remote controlled pull cable connectedat a lower end thereof to said pin so that the pin may be withdrawn fromthe keeper holes at the proper time, said penetrating point beingremovable to allow access to be had to said lugs and pin.

2. The structure dened in claim l, and wherein said arms are providedwith lengthwise rigidifying ribs having upper end portions normally atright angles to said member, said upper ends serving as abutments which,when they come to rest against the tubular member, provide stops andlimit the upward swing of the arms.

3. A footing with self-spreading anchoring means comprising a verticallyelongated tubular member adapted to be driven by a pile driver into afoundation, the ground for example, said tubular member being open atits upper and lower ends, the lower end being internally screw-threaded,a closure for the lower end comprising a screw plug screwed into saidscrew-threaded lower end and depending therefrom, the portion of theplug depending below the lower end of said tubular member being conicaland pointed and constituting a ground penetrating point, said tubularmember above said screw-threaded lower end being provided with aplurality of circumferentially spaced equidistant openings, apluralityof circumferentially spaced, vertical stabilizing and anchoringarms hingedly secured at their upper ends to the tubular member above'the openings and folded alongside of said tubular member in their normaldescending relationship, said arms extending beyond the lower end ofsaid tubular member to be opened by the earth displaced by said plug,the lower end portion of each arm being provided with a lateral lug andsaid lug projecting through one of said openings into the bore of thetubular member, each lug having a keeper hole therein, the several lugsbeing overlapped and the keeper holes being in vertical alignment witheach other, a keeper pin passing downwardly and releasably through thealigned keeper holes, a remote control cable connected at its lower endto said pin and extending upwardly through the tubular member for readyand controlled operation, said tubular member being provided adjacentthe arm hinges with vertical slots, the hinged end of each arm having anintegrally laterally disposed segmental shaped flange constituting adetent operable through one of the slots, said detents Awhen projectinginto the bore of the tubular member providing shoulders, a weightedinner tubular member slidable in said bore and normally resting atopsaid detents and adapted to pass downwardly through the bore to aposition wherein it covers the slots and locks the detents inarm-retaining position, said inner tubular member including a centrallyapertu'ed closed end slidably accommodat- References Cited in the le ofthis patent AUNITED STATES PATENTS 1,497,629

Baker June 10, 1924V Mechlin Nov. 21, 1933 Cappel June 18, 1940 FerrisMar, 11, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 23, 1933 Germany A Nov.12, 1953

